Wireless Communication Network Bearer Management

1. A method of configuring a service at a base station of a wireless communication network, the method comprising: receiving at the base station from a network node, a service identifier that identifies a service to be provided via a plurality of bearers to a user equipment; and configuring at the base station the plurality of bearers according to a service configuration associated with the service identifier.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving comprises receiving a plurality of Radio Access Bearer, RAB, messages, each RAB message being associated with a respective one of the plurality of bearers and including the service identifier.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of RAB messages is one of an E-RAB Setup message, an E-RAB Modify message and an Initial Context Setup message.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the received service identifier is received in an S1AP message having a plurality of bearers associated with the service identifier, the S1AP message being one of an E-Service Setup message, an E-Service Modify message and an E-Service Release message.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving the service configuration from the network node.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the service configuration is stored at the base station.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of establishing, modifying and releasing one of the plurality of bearers.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising adapting a bit rate for each of the plurality of bearers.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the service configuration comprises one of at least one service configuration parameter and at least one bearer configuration parameter for each of the plurality of bearers.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein a least one bearer configuration parameter comprises one of a video resolution, a frame rate and a codec.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the codec is one of an adaptive multi-rate codec, a video Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) codec at a specified frame rate and an audio codec.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the service is one of a voice over long term evolution (VoLTE) service, an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) video service, a voice over Internet (VoIP) best effort service, and a video best effort service.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network node is a mobile management entity, MME.

14. A base station, comprising: a receiver configured to receive a service identifier that identifies a service to be provided to a user equipment, UE; a memory configured to store the received service identifier; and a processor in communication with the memory and configured to: associate a plurality of bearers with the identified service; and configure the plurality of bearers according to the identified service.

15. The base station of claim 14 , wherein the configuration of the plurality of bearers specifies, for each bearer, at least one of a video resolution, a frame rate and a codec.

16. The base station of claim 14 , wherein the service identifier is received in a radio access bearer, RAB, message associated with one of the plurality of bearers.

17. The base station of claim 14 , wherein the service identifier is received in an S1AP message.

18. A method of configuring a service at a base station of a wireless communication network, the method comprising: receiving a first message associated with a first bearer, the first message containing a first quality of service class identifier, QCI; receiving a second message associated with a second bearer, the second message containing a second quality of service class identifier, QCI; determining a service identifier based on at least one of the first and second QCIs; and configuring at the base station the first and second bearers according to a service configuration associated with the service identifier.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the service configuration is stored at the base station.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising at least one of establishing, modifying and releasing one of the first and second bearers.

21. The method of claim 18 , further comprising adapting a bit rate for each of the first and second bearers.

22. The method of claim 18 , wherein the service configuration comprises one of at least one service configuration parameter and at least one bearer configuration parameter for each of the plurality of bearers.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the at least one bearer configuration parameter comprises one of a video resolution, a frame rate and a codec.

24. A base station, comprising: a receiver configured to receive a request for one of a plurality of services and at least one quality of service class identifier, QCI, corresponding to the requested service; a memory configured to store: a table mapping QCIs to corresponding service identifiers; and service configuration parameters; and a processor in communication with the memory and configured to: determine a service identifier using the at least one received QCI; and identify a set of service configuration parameters associated with the service identifier; and configure a plurality of bearers according to the service configuration parameters associated with the service identifier.

25. The base station of claim 24 , wherein the set of service configuration parameters are associated with a plurality of bearers, the configuration parameters identifying at least one of a video resolution, a frame rate and a codec for each of the plurality of bearers.

26. A base station, comprising: a receiver module configured to receive a service identifier that identifies a service to be provided to a user equipment, UE; a memory module configured to store the received service identifier; and a processor module in communication with the memory module and configured to: associate a plurality of bearers with the identified service; and configure the plurality of bearers according to the identified service.

27. A base station, comprising: a receiver module configured to receive a request for one of a plurality of services and at least one quality of service class identifier, QCI, corresponding to the requested service; a memory module configured to store: a table mapping QCIs to corresponding service identifiers; and service configuration parameters; and a processor module in communication with the memory module and configured to: determine a service identifier using the at least one received QCI; identify a set of service configuration parameters associated with the service identifier; and configure a plurality of bearers according to the service configuration parameters associated with the service identifier.